He and She
by Oky Verlo
Summary: When personal greed and selfish desire threaten to overtake the greatest Gangs in the land, it is up the the strongest to maintain the balance. Follow the Lupine and the Black Bouquet, as they travel to China to protect what is left of their world. Sequel to Her and Him.
1. The Wolves

_**Tadaima! Sequel!**_

_After the fall of Terra, the Earth became a vastly different place._

'_Government' was now handled by the gangs in charge of whatever territory you lived in. Turf wars were a far more deadly occurrence than ever before, because the rulings between gangs could make or break lives. People chose their brands, and lived with their decisions._

_Some gangs -like the French '__Conquérant'_- _rule horridly; through fear, force and never ending blood._

_Others -such as the Roman 'Stigmata'- attempt to rule through traditions of the past that have proven to hold a measure of success._

_Japan's Black Bouquet are an example of ruling through little intervention and kindness._

_They rule through the shadows, a known presence but never a publically seen one. Everyone knows that the Black Bouquet is there, but they don't announce that they are watching, guiding; protecting. They don't need to announce such a thing. Everyone is already aware._

_The Current Matriarch, Nadeshiko Kinomoto, rules with a silken touch that can turn into steel; she will allow no harm to come to those under her if she can prevent it, and she makes sure that justice is served._

_Her Consort and husband, Fujitaka Kinomoto, is an unmatched seals-master and historian; he's an advisor and protector, no less so then his wife, and just as dedicated to the safety of those around him._

_Their son, Touya Kinomoto, is a warrior within modern times. He is fiercely defensive of the younger generation of the Black Bouquet and strives just as dutifully as his sires to protect them._

_They are three of the most well known members of the Black Bouquet, but there is one member who is even better known, yet so very little is known about her._

_The one called nothing but 'Hime'._

_Rumours, suspicions and scandal abound at the mention of her, but there is no evidence, there is not a breath of proof of anything spoken about her._

_Surely though, she shall become the next Queen of the Black Bouquet. It is under her direction that we travel to the Golden Land China to right a grave many wrongs._

_And willingly do I follow._

_My name is Li Xiao Lang._

_**Tada! Review!**_

_**Toodles and Love  
Oky Verlo.**_


	2. The Flowers

_**And again.**_

_There is only so much damage that this world can stand._

_In is in human nature to fear what we do not understand, covet what we do not have, and strike out at what we hate. History is over flowing with examples of all these traits._

_But it also tells us of unbidden kindnesses; people petitioning for freedom, working with past enemies, standing against injustices._

_That is why we find ourselves striving to aid the members of the Lupine._

_Li Yelan, the acting Alpha, is a woman who truly personifies the elegance and deadliness of a wolf. She decides what she wishes to accomplish and will work to that goal until she either completes it, or finds that it goes against all that she is._

_A warrior within the ranks of tradition, Li Meiling, is a young woman who never hesitates to lash out when it serves her purpose, but knows intrinsically when to dance into the shadows._

_A man whom is an enigma to all, Eriol Hiiragizawa, encompasses all the mysterious beauty of the Wolves he is branded by, being a true nocturnal mage in all aspects._

_But it is the one whom they hope to one day serve who truly personifies all that is the Lupine._

_Li Xiao Lang, Syaoran, the Alpha-to-be._

_A man who places his all in every task set before him, with a determination to see everything through to the end. A little wolf, just as his name, willing to fight to protect and survive, yet born with an iron-clad set of morals and Honour._

_Morals and Honour that have been deemed unnecessary to the needs and actions of the Lupine and its Alpha by those who dare call themselves righteous council._

_It is he, this prince bedecked in a wolf's pelt, who I have decided to take up my sword and shield to fight for; he, this blameless soul within a web of deceit, I shall defend._

_To protect the ever many innocent at risk within the boundaries of his home, I find myself beginning travel away from my home in the Land of the Gods Japan._

_And ever faithful I shall fight._

_My name is Kinomoto Sakura._

_**Tada! Review!**_

_**Toodles and Love  
Oky Verlo.**_


	3. Departure

_**CHAPPIE!**_

_We had awoken at the third hour; before the sun had even thought to rise. Having packed our bags days in advance, we were quickly huddled into the car that took us to the private airspace owned by the Black Bouquet. We boarded the jet and took our seats numbly, all of the Lupine sluggish due to a severe lack of sleep._

_We were told that we would be picked up when preparations had been made, but we had not expected the call to come so early._

_The jet was an interesting machine; from the outside it looked like nothing more then your standard plane. The interior however, resembled more of a country club than an aircraft. The pilots section was cordoned off, but the rest was completely open. There were a total of fifty seats in the space and were all high-back chairs with a deep, rich red fabric covering the deceptively comfortable chairs. Round coffee tables had been bolted to the floor, the dark brown grain complimenting the various reds, oranges, browns and yellows found in the carpet travelling the floor. On every table there was a centre-piece cloth that was decorated in innumerable different flowers; Chrysanthemums, roses, tulips, larkspur, babies-breath, snapdragons, just to name the few I could see from a quick perusal._

_All-in-all, the experience I was about to go through would do nothing but enhance just how much power I understood the Black Bouquet having, but before that, I knew I was going to revel in the obvious luxury and grandeur of our means of travel._

_As we sat waiting for the Black Bouquet members to arrive, Mother and Wei started playing some card game, while Yasha-sama and Ashura-san sat nearby to watch. Terada-sensei had already buckled in and nodded off, not being able to keep himself awake just yet, and Eriol was not too far behind him; the continuous nodding of his head a sure prelude to him conking out._

_Meiling appeared to be meditating, but that could just as easily have been a disguise to gain further sleep -not that any would blame her- and Yamazaki was yawning whilst looking over files on his laptop. My sisters were all in various states of hyperactivity that should be impossible at such an hour but nothing was said unless they took it too far._

_I myself was attempting to read over some of the information files that had been provided to me by the Matriarch so I could familiarise myself with the members of the Black Bouquet who would be travelling with us. _

_From what I could garner from the files, only a few of the selected Black Bouquet members wouldn't be travelling in the jet with us, more specifically; The Matriarch, her consort, her son, Doumeki Kazuki, Kudo Kazahaya, Yue-san, Ceroberus-san (how the hell did we not think of it as an alias?!), Yukito Tsukishiro and Hime._

_I won't deny I was a tad disappointed that I would not be travelling with Hime -She is an extraordinary young woman to observe- but I quickly bit down on my rising temper; The Black Bouquet was being gracious enough to give us any form of aid, it would not do for me to give into such childish urges such as sulking._

_But the temptation was very strong._

_While I was trapped in my musings, the door to the jet opened, admitting Musha Kurogane, Jumon Fai and Himura Rikuo. _

"How in the hell can you have so much energy in the morning?"

_It was Himura who spoke._

"I mean, I know that when Kazahaya wakes up he's immediately too loud and energetic but I thought that was just him; why are you like that too?"

_While Jumon began explaining something I could make no sense of, and Kurogane-san wandered up to Ashura-san and Yasha-sama in silence, I found my thoughts latch onto a single name._

_Kazahaya._

_Kudo Kazahaya._

_The man who made claim to Lupine upbringing, however brief it may have been._

_Yamazaki had done what he does best and started looking up whatever he could in regards to Kudo Kazahaya the second we had returned to the den the day that piece of information had been revealed not only to us but to the Black Bouquet as well._

_There wasn't a lot of public information on the guy; the only thing that was public access was in a photo that accompanied a story about local businesses. Private access showed more, but not by much._

_Kudo Kazahaya was an open agent; most everyone in the Black Bouquet knew who he was and what he could do apparently, because the only files we found on him were medical history; the guy's immune system wasn't the greatest thing evidently, given how many time he caught something ... anything._

_Yamazaki had tried to find any files from the Lupine archives that spoke of the young man, but the Elders had put some sort of system lockdown into place, so Yamazaki couldn't get in without a lot of trouble; trouble we couldn't afford._

_When the Squad had been working with us to gather profiles of those to watch for, Yamazaki was able to get in with Chiharu-chan's help (I was training myself slowly to refer to them as the had asked) but judging by the pounding her fingers were doing on the keyboard, it was not easy to slip in past the security, so Yamazaki didn't take the risk._

_A gentle tapping on my shoulder brought me back to the world around me, and saw Tomoyo-chan smiling gently at me, the rest of the squad, and the others who were to be travelling with us in various seats and states of repose._

"We'll be leaving shortly. You'd best buckle up. And sleep; it will make the journey much faster."

_I did as I was bid and reclined further into the soft cushion of the chair as Tomoyo-chan took her own seat and buckled in. The pilots' voice crackled overhead through the speakers, alerting us of what was going on before the jet began to move. I found myself taking several deep breaths before I surrendered to unconsciousness._

_We were truly on our way._

_**End of Chappie. The next few chapters are more about setting the scene then getting to the action so they might be rather slow, but I promise it'll get better soon.**_

_**Toodles and Love  
Oky Verlo**_


	4. Arrival

_**Read and Review?**_

_I was a tad disoriented when I woke up. Mainly because I woke up when we landed in China._

_Yeah, I'm a really heavy sleeper._

_Mother had seen fit to dress me when we were still at home, and I was thankful, because the jet carrying the Lupine and the other members of the Black Bouquet was already in sight and preparing to land, and I really didn't want to be seen gallivanting around in my PJ's._

_As the engines cooled, Touya came and stood next to me, our parents slightly in front of us, Yue-san, Kero-chan and Yukito-san behind us, Doumeki-san and Kudo-san slightly behind them._

_I felt the sharp pain as my nail dug into the heel of my palm. The formation we were in put the weakest member in the close middle where they had the most security, and the continuous glances from all the others made me realise, without a doubt, who was being protected._

_Me._

_As the jet's door opened and its occupants began to exit, I forced myself not to think on it. After all, we were in the middle of a war._

_Our formation stepped forward, greeting everyone, before Mother spoke._

"This in an airstrip that to all others in the world is no longer fit for use; from the sky the cracks and warps in the tarmac look to be debris and refuse, which no pilot will risk landing on aside from life or death situations, which has not as of yet proven to be a problem. Our temporary lodgings here have been sorted, but we shall be leaving by tomorrow afternoon."

_Mother sudden rose her hand, cutting off the questions that were mere seconds from being voiced by the Lupine._

"We have discovered that the Elders employ certain aerial surveillance measures, and the only time for us to get into China was so early, as well as the only time for us to safely leave the air-field being the same time. Since our window of opportunity for the day has closed, we must make due with what we have."

_Although looking more than a little disgruntled by the news, as well as some traces of furiousness at not knowing such security measures were in place, the Lupine settled and we made our way into the buildings surrounding the airstrip, while the pilots and air-staff rushed to move the Jets into the hangars._

_The accommodations were nothing flash, but they would do for the day at most we would be staying within them; beds and couches to rest on and various board games and card games to occupy our time should they be needed. The windows had all been boarded up to prevent light escaping to the world outside, as well as to keep up the 'abandoned, derelict' look._

_All in all, the place reminded me of a bunker._

_Father clapped his hands twice, motioning for everyone to gather around the largest table, taking his seat once they had been notified. Mother began speaking once again, pointing to the map on the tabletop._

"As you should be at the very least peripherally aware, ten generations past the Lupine Alpha divided China's land into the four quarters and centre city, while he designated families within the Lupine to overlook the care of their areas; Ashura at the centre, Kendappa in the East, Karura to the South, Ryuu within the West, and Yasha of the North."

_The Lupine all nodded as the information was presented, wondering why they were being treated to a history lesson, but keeping their thoughts silent._

"For two or three generations, the families were completely under the command of the Alpha, obeying orders with little question. This changed when the latest Alpha demanded something akin to 24 hour protection of the borders and city for no visible cause. Intelligence tells us that this Alpha used various unscrupulous means to gain his position and began suffering bouts of extreme paranoia that enemies would strike him down. He began threatening all the families with execution should they disobey him."

_Ashura-chan hung his head, curling his body into Yasha-sama's protective embrace. Yasha-sama's face grew cold, as he realized what would soon be spoken of, his arms securing Ashura-chan in an attempt to fend off the information._

"The Ashura family was the only one to fall, though a number were able to escape. My understanding is that the man was renounced from power once the remaining four families took up arms, threatening to storm the city which was now defenceless should they be forced to remain under exclusive rule." _Mother looked to Yelan-sama for confirmation, which was reluctantly provided._

"The four families have since been under private ruling, and the leader of the family at the time took on the family name as their title; case-in-point Yasha-sama. The reason I bring this up is because we will have to get past the protections placed down by the guardian families. This airstrip is -alas- in the Western quarter, close to the boundaries of the Southern quarter. If possible, I'd have liked to land in the North, as with Yasha-sama's presence, our own would remain uncontested, but fortune is a fickle mistress, and we are not amongst the blessed at this time."

_Looking briefly at the map, Kurogane-san cleared his throat before speaking._

"Where exactly are we? I might have a solution."

_Father pointed to the place on the map that was our rough location. Kurogane-san raised his hand to cover his mouth, his fingers on the opposite hand tapping the table's surface as he thought. After a few moments, Kurogane-san removed the hand from his face and pointed to a spot on the paper._

"About here is the main house for the Ryuu Family, aptly called the Dragon Palace. Six, seven years ago, I went on a training trip. Don't ask me how, 'cause I'm still not sure, but I wound up at the Dragon Palace, and became acquainted with the head and heir to the family. I've kept in contact with the heir, little spitfire called Nahga, and I know that he'll soon be made into the family head. He's always felt that the way things are run by the Lupine needs to change; Nahga would've protected the West as his family always have, but he would've been denied his right to become family head if he wasn't Lupine."

_Yasha-sama spoke up._

"I myself am rather familiar with the Water Dragon. It is tradition for the heads and heirs of the families to meet up yearly, and Ashura got along quite well with Nahga, so we've kept our ties open. Our mutual presence may convince the Ryuu family to help us pass into the inner ring. Though Northern relations with the South are strong, Karura has always held an extreme loyalty, and hides nothing from the Lupine sent to inspect us. The West may be more sympathetic to our cause."

_Mother and Father smiled, pleased that such a connection was held, and made motion for us to busy ourselves with the games for a few hours as we rested. As we stood to move, a low buzzing filled the room, the lights automatically dimming and in some cases even shutting off. Kero-chan jumped up and pulled me away from the windows to the centre of the room._

"Everyone, quickly! Lupine Aerial Surveillance has picked up on something!"

_**Duh-duh-dum! **_

_**Barely even in China, has our party of intrepid justice-doers already been caught by the Corrupted Council? Will the aerial surveillance ruin all hope for the reforming of morals with the ranks, or will the Elders dismiss the pickup as unimportant? Tune into the next chapter to find out.**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	5. Travel West

_**Chapter five, for your reading enjoyment. Thanks to all my lovely reviewers. It's Yasha.**_

_At the call of warning, everyone began to move quickly. The younger members of the Black Bouquet indicated that the Lupine should move to the room's centre, while the swift members flew around the room, windows being covered completely in mere seconds to try and aid our chances, before they too were huddled in the centre of the room._

_The alarm continued its low drone, the monotonous sound slowly eating at our nerves, especially the Lupine who were not familiar to its presence. After a full minute of the low sounding buzz, the noise began to taper off, lowering its volume until it was silent once more. Deeps breaths of relief were heaved -I admit to releasing a small one of my own- and we slowly rose from our hunched positions._

"That was so close."

_The voice belonged to the blonde mage who was never far from the Eastern Dragon's side. He was unusually sombre, his voice void of its usual exuberance. It appeared to be an occurrence of quite some note, as the members of the Black Bouquet were all facing him along with the Lupine._

_Seeing that he had an audience, the mage decided to voice his thoughts for our benefit._

"The norm for aerial surveillance has three layers; detection of the out of place, detection of mass, and the detection of magic. The first two are easy enough to circumvent; lights off and away from the windows. The third one though, the detection of magic, is a wild card.

For the most part it focuses on the normal level of magic present around a person, but there have been too many times to count that it has instead picked up on the absolute smallest presence of magic possible and demands investigation.

Sometimes the scanners have been programmed to search specifically for suppressed magic, and if that had been the case, we would've been caught in a heartbeat."

_The weight of his words were not lost on any, and we all chose to stay in the room's centre for just a while longer, before we slowly began to move to our previous positions around the table. The Matriarch snapped her fingers gently and the young information gatherer nodded before dashing off into another room, followed closely by her Lupine counterpart once it was indicated that he may go after her._

_As the others began sorting themselves out, my Ashura gently grasped my arm to gain my attention. Smiling at the face of the one I consider my son, I waited for him to speak whatever was on his mind._

"He's Yue-san's partner now, right? He worked really hard to protect Hime-chan when the alarm went off."

_I knew of course of whom my young ward spoke of. Nodding slightly, my eyes fell to the golden haired man who'd shouted the warning, as he stood next to the girl titled Hime and the young Moon, Yue. Taiyo Ceroberus, I believe was his name._

_The alias he had been gifted was truly not much more than a literal translation of his name, and certainly did him little justice as a protector. No, the three-headed dog from the gates of the underworld was not the type of guardian this young man emulated, knowingly or not. Though he still had far more to learn and hone, the resemblance was more than clear. The nature and method of the boy made me think of a_

"Lion."

_My Ashura's face lit up at my single word, before nodding and running off to the young man we had been watching. A few moments spent speaking and the young mans face burned with a red flush as he averted his eyes from those around him. Hime was giggling gently, amused by his embarrassment, and the young Moon nodded his head in what appeared as agreement._

"It does suit the runt. At least, it suits him enough that I have no doubt it'll become his new alias somehow."

_The young Dragon's voice sounded off by my side. I slid my eyes to look at him, waiting for whatever he needed to say._

"Gather your charge and get some rest; we head out in a few hours and have quite a distance to travel."

_A smirk curled my lips as he left to give others the message._

_Distance is a word that means little to a traveller like me._

* * *

_We set out quickly; the Matriarch and her consort not wanting to risk a delayed search of premises by overstaying in one location._

_The man named Fujitaka once more cast a powerful notice-me-not charm, aiding our departure from the airstrip. Without much direction, those of the group who were more closely tied to combat moved to the outer areas of the party, except for the young Lion and Moon who did not move from their mistress' side._

_As we began making our way to the Dragon Palace I one again took note of the Black Bouquet's princess. My initial impression of her had not changed; she was not a warrior. Though she has proven over the last few weeks that she is indeed skilled in many aspects of battle, and is willing to work hard to improve, her aura is not that of one who belongs on the field of war._

_She is the peacemaker, the Healer; indeed, she is the princess. A beautiful, precious being that should never be exposed to what she has, nor to what she will be._

_But she has made the choice to come, and l would not dishonour her bravery by trying to sway her away from what she has chosen._

_About an hour into the journey, some one asked the question of what the Western guardians were like. I found myself speaking without realising._

"The Ryuu Clan are a passionate bunch; they have a great pride in their ability to protect the West from attacks, and it is not an unfounded pride at all. They do tend to be a little ... enthusiastic whenever the opportunity for a punch-up arises, and they tend to create those opportunities just for the sake of it.

The previous head was a woman once called _Ajagara_, though she took up the mantel of Ryuu when she became the Clan Head. She died a few years ago in battle, saving a small child that had been unable to flee. Her son, Nahga, is cut much of the same cloth. The Water Dragon, just as the rest of his family, adores a good tussle, but he seeks them out less than most of his kin."

_The young Dragon began speaking once I'd finished, giving a different insight to the family._

"The Western Border is actually the largest out of the four. My understanding is that it was made this way for the size of the family; the Ryuu Clan is huge and has many able fighters, so they were given a greater area to protect. In comparison, the Yasha Clan in the North has the smallest Border, but the most frequent and brutal attacks, so the warriors of the Yasha Clan are fiercer fighters.

When Nahga and I speak through our letters and calls, he often mentions how he feels untested in the West because most of the fighting is done by the time he's even informed of it happening. While he is delighted that the safety of the West is great, he is feeling redundant and can't fully appreciate why he has to train.

Maybe once this mess is over, the Lord of the North could take him under his care for a while so that he may see what he may one day find himself up against?"

_I found myself grinning at the idea of putting the young Water Dragon through his paces in the North. The fact that the boy was wise enough to question his use was not lost on me, but to question the point of his training showed he was still so green. A month or two in the frozen Northern Winter would have him smarten up faster than any extensive training routine._

_Another hour passed us swiftly, and by the time the sun began to descend from its zenith, we were atop a hill looking down upon the water gardens of the Ryuu Clan estate. A grin full of nostalgia and amusement claimed the young Dragon's lips._

"For a normal person, to get to the bottom of those pools would take a scuba tank, but the Ryuu Clan is so well versed in water magic, they can quite literally breathe underwater as though they had gills. My Ryuuga sword was a gift from this family, a replica of their heirloom sword under the same name and marker."

_We made our way carefully through the gardens, making sure not to hide our presence as that ran the risk of us being perceived as dangerous intruders. As we reached the stairway to the main building, the doors slammed open and a flash of red flew down and latched onto the young Dragon._

"Kurogane! It's been way too long!"

_That nostalgic smirk once more decorated his face._

"I missed you too spitfire. How long have you been spying on us squirt?"

_A sheepish look as the young Water Dragon tried to brush off the question let us know he'd been spying for quite a while. He had grown I noticed as I looked him over. Though, not too long ago, Nahga was a head taller then that of my Ashura, my Ashura was now a head and a half higher. The young Water Dragon's hair was still the fiery red of his mother's blood and he wore it short round his head, something I expect would change in a few years more, as most males in his clan opt for a longer mane. _

_After a few more seconds of attempted distraction, the young heir to the Ryuu Clan stepped away and a serious countenance crossed his face and turned to look at the Lupine members._

"We all know what's going on; the Elders made sure that everyone knew the news about ya turning colours, but we all know it's a load and a half of crock. Especially Yasha and Ashura. The day you two turn traitor is not a day to hunt ya down, but a day to find out what made ya turn." _Here his voice deepened with his emotion._ "And it doesn't take a genius to realise that the Elders aren't as clean as they profess to be."

_Jerking his head slightly towards the door, we were invited in, moving to a more private location. Within the meeting hall, we were accompanied by the current Head-in-standing, Nahga's Grandfather, and two of his cousins as we were updated on what had happened in China since we had left, and what had happened to us in Japan. Once the exchange was over, the current Head spoke up._

"Almost a year ago, the Elder Baohù approached me about possibly taking a position on the council if one should become available. I was, at the time, under the impression that he and the others were simply making a list of those who had reached the age. We spoke long into the hour about what I could expect and what would be expected of me as part of the council.

He seemed unbelievably shocked that I had declined. I explained that I would prefer to spend my days looking after my family than the whole of the Lupine, but it just seemed to almost insult him. A week following his angry departure, I received a visit from Grandmother. She warned me that the Elders should no longer be considered the voices of truth and honesty.

The proof of that is Dírén. Dírén has stated he has no desire to be in a position of power since he was fourteen years. He has declined every form of position offered him unless it was an absolute necessity of the time. Yet suddenly, he is in the seat of the newest Elder in a time of recognised peace. Dírén would never take such a powerful position, unless it would protect his grandson's family. That, of course, includes you, young master Kudo."

_Yelan-sama swung her gaze to the young man who claimed our heritage, as did we all bar the Matriarchs family and the princess. The young man simply smiled sadly._

"Great-Grandfathers loyalty to family has always been strong, but this time, it would have been safer for the family simply to flee. By allowing himself to be an Elder, he sacrifices the rights to see his family. And as his position as Elder is a figure head, he has no power to actually protect them should the other Elders choose to try and break him."

_His expression prompted his dark haired companion to place a comforting hand on his head. Smiling gently at his friend with a whispered thank you, the young man continued._

"Do you think we could enter the centre City through the Western Bridge?"

_The young Water Dragon laughed._

"As if I wouldn't let ya! Gramps may be the Head-in-standing, but I still got enough clout to let ya pass! Besides, it's our job to protect China; I'll be coming with ya!"

_His statement brought forth a number of arguments from both sides, though my Ashura and I chose to stay out of it. As the young heir fought his points and standing I was reminded once more of his mother. Nahga had certainly inherited more than his hair from his mother; her temper had been legendary and it was said more than once that she'd break into the Elder's meeting just to argue her point personally. _

_The room fell into silence at a single clap._

"That is enough shouting and squabbling. If, to enter through the Western Bridge and maintain a sense of invisibility, we are required to be accompanied by the young lord, then we shall be accompanied by the young lord. We do not have the luxury of time for finding another entranceway that will fulfil our needs so completely. And any aid and advice the young lord can provide is an assistance we would be hard pressed to find elsewhere."

_The princess' gaze was as sharp as her words._

"If you are willing to help us, then we gratefully accept."

_The Ryuu Clan heir smiled, a slight blush dusting his cheeks as he swiped a finger across his lip._

"It'd be my pleasure."

_**The end of chapter five. Please review.**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	6. Western Bridge

_**Chapter six. I have really bad luck with keyboards; y, i, c, v, and even the comma, require me to hit the key far harder than any of the others. Anyway enjoy Kurogane however OOC he may seem. Remember that characters are as I read them.**_

_I couldn't help but snicker at the arguments that were flying through the air._

_After arriving at the Dragon Palace and being invited in for discussion, Nahga had laid an ultimatum that didn't surprise me; safe crossing of the Western Bridge in exchange for him coming along for the party. _

_The spitfire sure new how to call them. As soon as he put it forth, almost everyone was arguing against him; including his cousins and grandfather. But the door to the bridge is sealed with the blood of the family head, only those directly related to the family head can open it and the last seal was placed by Nahga's mother; Nahga's cousins couldn't open it, and the old man didn't have the strength to fix the seal so Nahga couldn't open it._

_Nahga was the strongest competitor to let us through, but he wouldn't do it unless he could come along._

_A sharp clap brought all attention to the princess._

"That is enough shouting and squabbling. If, to enter through the Western Bridge and maintain a sense of invisibility, we are required to be accompanied by the young lord, then we shall be accompanied by the young lord. We do not have the luxury of time for finding another entranceway that will fulfil our needs so completely. And any aid and advice the young lord can provide is an assistance we would be hard pressed to find elsewhere."

_I cast a glance at the wizard, the blue eyed blonde nodding in agreement with the princess' choice._

"If you are willing to help us, then we gratefully accept."

_Nahga gave his affirmation with a blush. As his family regretfully subsided and began making arrangements to make the journey to the centre City, Nahga came up to me once more and began speaking in hushed tones._

"Hey, who's the cutie? Ya never mentioned a girl like her when ya spoke about your friends."

_A warning must have entered my eyes, because Nahga flinched taking a half step away. The wizard stepped up._

"She is not one to set your sights on young Lord. Aside from the fact that the little Alpha has taken an interest in her, she is under the protection of almost all the Black Bouquet, and their standards for someone being worthy of her are beyond high.

For instance, I won't let anyone who makes her sad for a moment near her; she should be happy at all times. Kuro-precious has stated that whoever approaches her must be able to best him in combat, and her family has all-"

_I could feel the blush cross my cheeks at the newest nickname the wizard had gifted me, and swiftly beat a fist on his head, ending the tirade. Not that I disagreed with what he was saying otherwise._

"Kyaaa! Kuro-pie is so mean and rough!"

"Shut up wizard; do you want me to kill you?" _I loosened Sohi from its sheath at my waist._ "Let me know so I can indulge in that."

_Nahga looked perturbed, trying without success to work his mouth to say something -anything- to stop my apparent bloodlust. Just as the boy was starting to panic, the wizard slunk closer and draped his arms over me._

"But if you did that Kuro-seme, our nightly ... games would come to an end. You don't want that do you?"

_I stayed still a moment longer, drawing out the torture we were inflicting on the foolish little spitfire, whose face now resembled his hair. After that moment, I re-sheathed my sword and threaded my fingers through the wizard's thin blonde locks, pulling his face a little closer to mine._

"That would be an unfortunate consequence. Do make sure you don't force me to resort to such ... unpleasant results."

_By now Nahga looked ready to faint from all the innuendo and our positioning. I smirked evilly, deciding he deserved that final push. Glancing around quickly to make sure no one was watching us, I pressed my lips to a slightly startled Fai's, before pulling away and detaching myself from his grasp, thoroughly enjoying Nahga's strangled yelp and the thump of him collapsing on the floor. Fai looked at me with a blush._

"You don't think that was just a little too cruel Kuro-sama?"

_My smirk remained as I looked back at him._

"It's our job to protect the princess and dissuade unwanted attention. I can't help it if I decide to enjoy dissuading her suitors in various ways."

_The wizard just shook his head at me, trying to look disappointed, but the vibrant flush still colouring his skin and the sheepish smile curling his lips proved that he had enjoyed the experience just as much as I._

* * *

_Once Nahga had regained consciousness -albeit with minor selective memory loss- we made our way to the Western Bridge._

_Not one of the bridges is the same except that they get you into the city. The Western Bridge we'd be taking was really more of a glass tunnel that travelled under an enormous lake. The Southern Bridge was more of a monorail that took you over the mountain ranges. The Eastern Bridge is a dirt track within a huge canyon. Lord Yasha's Northern Bridge was a pathway through a volcano, which I admit to being very impressive._

_The bridges are the penultimate defence for the centre City._

_Should external forces manage to break through the cardinal guardians, they still have to use one of the bridges to pass into the City. The Southern Bridge can only take so many a trip, so forces would be split. The Eastern Bridge takes days to get through, so supplies, temper and reactions would be thin. En masse Movement through the Western Bridge is designed to destroy it from within. And the path the Northern Bridge takes is __**through a damn volcano!**_

_As we approached the heavy metal gateway to the glass tunnel, Nahga turned to us wearing a serious expression._

"None of ya are claustrophobic or anything like that right? Cause if ya are this is gonna really gonna suck for ya."

_After confirming that everyone should be fine, Nahga pulled a small dagger from its place in his boot and nicked one of his fingers before pressing it to the door. A pulse of magic greeted the spitfire and slowly the door opened, revealing the pathway we were to take._

"Let's get started then; it's a long journey from here to the city so the sooner we start the sooner we get there."

_So saying we all ventured onto the Western Bridge, the bespelled entrance closing behind us._

_It was like nothing we could have imagined. Despite being so far below the surface, magic enchantments to the glass lit up the path and the surrounding water, showing the crystal blue of the water and the life that lived within it._

"Oh! Look Kuro-pippi! It's a tiger salmon! And there's a jellyfish!"

"I can see 'em wizard, shut up."

_The wizard pouted at me a moment before resuming his excited watching of the aquatic life, thankfully keeping his mouth shut. I myself gave a half-hearted scrutiny of the water-life while focusing my senses on the tunnel. Something wasn't quite right. My eyes dashed to the left when I suddenly spotted movement. Yue had left the princess' side and joined mine, though the runt was still next to her. I turned my red eyes onto the one next to me._

"The little one senses something amiss in the tunnel."

_Ah, that was why he was here. He was delivering a message. My eyes glanced at the princess once more, seeing her do the same to me, and nodding her head in acknowledgment._

"When did she first catch wind of it?"

"Ten steps in. She wasn't sure at first whether it was coming from within the tunnel or from outside, so she remained silent to make sure. It's definitely inside, and it is on the path ahead."

_I focused my senses on the path ahead and sure enough there was the source. Keeping my eyes on the princess I nodded._

"Get this info to Lord Yasha; he and his kid have a great sensory web, and can find out more for us."

_Yue nodded and vanished, reappearing at Lord Yasha's side and relaying what he knew. A slight stiffening of Ashura's shoulders and Lord Yasha's hand lingering over the hilt of his blade the only indication something was on their mind._

_Returning swiftly to the princess' side, Yue walked with a readiness for battle surrounding him, the runt on guard as well. I once more loosened Sohi from its sheath as I focused on my surroundings, prepared for any sudden threat. A good half hour more of walking and everyone seemed to have caught onto the scent of threat that permeated the air._

_Subconsciously, the entire group moved so that the princess was in the middle and well defended._

_A slight tingle to my senses had me drawing Sohi and slashing at the empty space to my right. I felt the blade shear clean through whatever I sensed there. Not stopping to look at whatever tried to attack, I swung again to my front left, not touching any of those near me, instead slicing what appeared to be a black tentacle in two. Following the appendage, we all found a young man standing in front of a summoned beast. The man was tall, about Ashura's height, and he had red brown hair covering his eyes. He was wearing a white summoner's robe that was decorated with green jewels and gold plates matching the same on the black hat sitting on his head._

"I'm really sorry about this, but I'm under orders from the Elders to defend this bridge."

_Throwing his hand into the air, the summoner called forth a dozen or so beasts, each one immediately attacking those near it. Lord Yasha, Ashura, the wizard and I all rushed to the front line, slashing at the beasts with our swords and daggers and sending them back to the realm from which they came. The others behind us attacked the few that got by us, magic and melee rending the creatures bodies. The summoner got angered by this and summoned a whole fleet more, hoping to overpower us._

_He forgot the defensive measure of the Western bridge._

_As the beasts finished emerging from the summoner's circle, the glass walls around us began to crack and moan. The beasts, having no sense of danger charged towards us, unwittingly spelling their doom. The force of the charge echoed through the air, pushing further in the numerous cracks that had already begun to run down the glass walls._

_Sending a quick glance to Lord Yasha and receiving a nod in return, we both moved to strike as many of the beasts as we could, hoping that the walls would last just enough for us to get through._

"Yama Ten Rou Ken!"

"Hama Ryu Ojin!"

_The beasts were immediately sundered, the summoner falling to the ground from the force of our attacks._

_Alas that the glass did not last._

_The force was too great and the glass finally shattered, the water of the lake flooding the space in an instant._

"Hurry!" _the Matriarch's voice carried over the rushing water._ "There is still time to reach the exit!"

"I told you I'm to stop you."

_Standing shakily, the summoner remained in our path, his hat fallen from his heads and his brown eyes staring at us in a weak glare. I heard a small gasp behind me._

"It couldn't be ... Ascot?"

_Turning quickly, I found Umi looking at the man with embarrassed recognition. Glancing back at our foe, I found his face bright red and him pointing a finger at the young woman._

"U-umi? W-what are you doing here? I was told that the traitors to the Lupine were coming to attack us; that's why the four bridges are being guarded ... what are you doing with them?"

_Before Umi could answer, another large section of glass shattered from the pressure of the water pushing against it. Without apparent thought, both Umi and Nahga thrust out their palms at the water, the liquid freezing in place. Nahga spoke._

"We'll figure this out once we get outta the tunnel!" _he started running grabbing the man 'Ascot' by the collar as he passed._ "We ain't got a lot of time guys so move it!"

_We all started running, pushing ourselves hard, even harder when we heard Umi and Nahga's control over the water stop, and the liquid start flooding again with a vengeance._

_We could just see the door to the surface when the water caught up to us._

_**This chapter is jam-packed full of all your daily CLAMP needs, including Card Captor Sakura, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, RG Veda and Magic Knight Rayearth. If for any reason you have not received your necessary CLAMP intake, please read more chapters and review any symptoms you may experience.**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	7. Catching Up

_**Onto Chapter 7. Thanks to everyone reading XD Remember, I'm writing the characters as I perceived them from their respective anime and manga; if this conflicts with your perceived image, Fanfiction is not really going to be a happy place for you.**_

_The sudden bite of chilled water caused my body to freeze. Forcing my head to turn so I could look around, I saw that most were in the same position._

_Nahga was alright of course; Kurogane-san's words about being able to breathe underwater ringing through my mind as I saw Nahga begin to temper his body to the freezing water._

_The blue-hared girl who had helped Nahga stop the water earlier - Ryuuzaki Umi - was also adjusting to the change in temperature, but was otherwise fine, moving to help push the others in the direction of the door to the surface._

_Kudo Kazahaya and the young blonde woman Hououji Fuu had managed to form a small barrier of wind around them and those closest to them, but already it was wavering._

_Ashura-san had collapsed almost instantly when the water hit him; his fire magic rendering him helpless against such a body of water, and Lord Yasha was barely able to grab hold before he too was sundered by the icy water._

_I could see nothing more as darkness began encroaching my vision, the lack of oxygen causing my lungs to burn._

_I felt myself panicking. Was I going to die here? Was this plan to fail before we'd even managed to enter the city? Was the Western Bridge to be the grave of the Lupine and the Black Bouquet?_

_Was it to be my grave and Hime's?_

_I felt a deep movement in the water and managed to force my eyes open once more. The water was all travelling in a circle, reminiscent to the way it twists down a drain. Despite all the movement, however, we were all in the same place, albeit able to make ourselves move once more. Kicking my legs a few times, I forced my head into the centre of the spiral, gulping deep breaths of the air present. I noticed the others doing the same before catching sight of what was in the middle of the space._

_Or perhaps I should say who?_

_Bedecked in the light of Neutral Magics use, floated Hime, her emerald green eyes glowing deeply, her hands spread wide as she channelled the magic into the water._

_I had never seen such a thing before; her magic was completely synchronised with her body's natural rhythm, the resulting pulses would be enough to knock a weaker man down and render him unconscious. It was unreal, even more so by the fact that despite the very real danger those pulses represented, not a one of us was affected in any way. The deep threads of power passed us by, almost as though we weren't worth the effort._

_The door leading out of the tunnel was suddenly open, and we found ourselves being lifted by an invisible force and carried outside. Underneath the gentle rays of the near setting sun, I could not look anywhere but that doorway; watching as Hime, still in the trance like state of deep magic use, floated through and sealed the door behind her, not a single wave of water leaving with her._

_Turning back to the group, Hime lowered herself to the ground and took a few shaky steps before she collapsed, the plentiful grass softening her landing as various people from both groups rushed to her._

_Myself among them._

_I recalled the words my mother had spoken some time ago, _

"**Her magic is mostly under seal, still unable to be fully brought out... her magic bleeds through as she needs it, but drains her to the point where she is exhausted... It would be hard to believe you had great magic when using only a little wears you out."**

_It was so faint that even kneeling next to her as I was, I could barely sense the enormous magical energy still resting inside her body. My mother was correct; the intensity of Hime's magic caused the small bursts she used to drain her completely, leaving her in such a state as now._

_Touya spoke up, causing Yue-san to move and lift Hime from the ground._

"She'll be fine after a few hours rest. Let's get moving to some sort of cover where we can hear the story between Ryuuzaki-san and the summoner."

_Nods of agreement rippled through the group, and Nahga moved to lead the way to a Ryuu Clan safe house. Yasha-sama and Kurogane-san had each grabbed one of the summoners arms and dragged him along as we followed Nahga._

_Aside from watching Hime's display, 'Ascot' hadn't had his gaze leave Ryuuzaki-san. It was grave disbelief and heartfelt adoration simultaneously. _

_After we had entered the safe house and settled Hime into one of the beds, we adjourned to the sitting room and waited for Ryuuzaki-san to begin._

"About six years ago, when Hikaru-chan, Fuu-chan and I were still fourteen, our paths crossed with Ascot's and his friend Ferio. We three were in Tokyo for a school trip, when Hikaru-chan was knocked down by Ascot." _Shidou-san blushed slightly, embarrassed by the memory._ "We demanded that he apologise, but he just looked his nose down at us and began to walk away. I uh ... Well, you see I ..."

_Ryuuzaki-san was blushing heavily and cleared her throat a few times. Yet she still seemed unable to finish the tale. Ascot piped up._

"She yelled at me ... a lot. And she hit me with an iron lump she claimed was her fist."

_Curious gazes once more travelled to the blue haired woman. Her flush deepened as she forged on._

"I was upset and I've always been fairly protective about Hikaru-chan! I demanded that he apologise for knocking her down and Ascot just ... well, he said, and I quote from memory, 'I'm Palu Ascot; why should I have to say sorry for anything?' and I took exception to that."

_I could see that Ryuuzaki-san was not particularly proud of the way she had acted those years ago, but she stood by what she had done, challenging us to berate her. It came as no surprise that no one did. Kurogane-san returned his gaze to the summoner._

"Why did you join up with the Wolves? And I won't accept any bullshit."

_Ascot lowered his head for a moment, collecting his thoughts before speaking._

"One of the things Umi brought to my attention was how much of a child I was. I was born and raised as my fathers' successor, nothing more nothing less. My interactions with people growing up leave more than a little to be desired. I couldn't stand my father and so ran away with my best friend, Ferio. Ferio was raised to be my bodyguard but he was my friend first.

Having been the spoiled little twat I was, I projected an aura of assumed superiority. Having been raised to have this aura, and being raised surrounded by it, neither Ferio nor I actually really noticed it. Others did of course, and could tell that I was going to be full of myself which I was. To cut the time they had to interact with me down to a minimum, people would defer to me; they'd be polite, let me do whatever I was doing first, let me go before them, you get the idea.

It gave me the impression -false as it was- that I was a natural leader; that people were charmed by me. It led to me getting a big head, and I was quite the arrogant little shit, as you've heard. When Umi made me realize this, I decided to change myself and in my travels attempting this, I wound up in China. I ended up saving a group of people that were being attacked thanks to my summons, and they asked me to join their group -the Lupine- to help others too."

_Ascot turned to Ryuuzaki-san._

"I certainly never expected to see Umi in China, especially with the traito- OW!"

_Nahga had cut off Ascot's words, an ugly snarl spilling from his lips. His voice was mocking._

"Are ya that stupid or have ya been brainwashed?! Ya think that the greatest leader of the Northern Yasha clan would betray his clansmen?! Do ya really believe those old farts are all good and knowing?! Get your head outta the sand! Those windbags are corrupt assholes! They're trying to take out the ones strong enough to oppose 'em even if they have no plans to!"

_Nahga appeared ready to say more when Kudo Kazahaya placed a hand gently on Ascots' forehead and closed his eyes. A few moments silence passed; the Lupine in evident confusion and the Black Bouquet in anticipation. Once the blond man's eyes opened and he removed his hand from Ascot's skin he turned and spoke to the group._

"He and a few others have been kept in quarantine the last few months; they are the ones who were put to guarding the bridges. Their interactions with the Elders have been minimal, never allowing their truth to cement into knowledge. He and the others follow orders because they have no reason not to."

_Ascot looked at Kudo Kazahaya in alarmed confusion, and most of the Lupine members were trying to figure out how he had gained that knowledge. Himura Rikuo stepped forward and drew Kudo Kazahaya into his arms, letting the slightly trembling man rest against him, before speaking._

"It's not a widely known ability; its use was actually restricted heavily about forty years back. For a select few wind users, they can channel the smallest amount of power into people or objects and read the memories held within. It's similar to post-cognition, only the user is able to have more control over what they are looking at."

_Unbidden, eyes fell to Kudo Kazahaya's form, before darting to the other wind user, Hououji Fuu. She just smiled gently and shook her head._

"My ability is related to amplification and protection; I have tried, but I do not have this skill."

_Nodding in understanding, a sudden yawn broke the mood of the room. I felt my eyes widen as I realised it came from Yue-san. Once he had finished he looked at us unrepentantly as he moved to make his way upstairs followed by Ceroberus-san._

"It's been a long day and night has come upon us. As much as I want to take care of the problems with the Elders now, I would be useless to the cause in my current state, as would many of us be." _A pointed look to Ashura-san who was asleep where he stood, and at my sisters who were all curled on one of the couches. _"I bid you good dreaming, and I shall see you upon the morn."

_Nodding goodnights, Yue-san and Ceroberus-san left the room completely, followed soon by members of both groups. Nahga and Yasha-sama pulled Ascot into one of the charmed rooms that forbid magic and locked him in before Yasha-sama collected Ashura-san and made their ways to bed. _

_The Matriarch, her consort and my mother all set powerful protection spells before they too left for sleep, retreating to the rooms directed to them at Nahga's leisure._

_As I curled up in a room shared with Eriol and Yamazaki, I could tell that as long as today had been, the night would be short, and tomorrow even longer._

* * *

_Hime didn't wake up._

_When it had become the tenth hour and she hadn't woken, nobody in the Black Bouquet said anything, nor did they for the eleventh or twelfth hour. When we finally left at the thirteenth hour and the princess still slept, then they started showing concern._

_Yue-san was one again carrying her, with Ceroberus-san and the squad nearby and ready to fight. The rest of the Black Bouquet and Lupine assumed a protective formation around her as we began to move out, excusing Touya who was guarding Ascot, but we could all tell that at the first sign of true danger to the princess, Touya would ditch the summoner and run to Hime's defence._

_As we approached the small dugout ground that marked the 'walls' to the city, Doumeki Kazuki stepped forward and drew a bow and a quiver of arrows from his pack. Notching one of the arrows, its silver fletching glinting in the afternoon sun, the Hunter drew the bowstring taut and aimed, releasing the string and sending the arrow flying. As the thin projectile flew, the gentle light of magic swarmed to it, the silver fletching now glowing, and as it travelled closer to the dugout, the barrier that acted as the walls for the city flared into sight, the power in the arrow cutting a small opening for us, and we all ran through._

_We were now in the city._

_The Hunter's arrow had done its job to allow us to enter unnoticed; the cutting through the barrier as it had, was caused by Doumeki-san's ability to mask power. Any scans done on the section of the barrier we passed through would pick up the slightest breath of someone coming through, instead of our small force._

_The Black Bouquet truly has amazing members in its ranks._

_Catching our breath, the Lupine turned to the Matriarch to see if she had orders thus far. Casting a glance at the still slumbering princess, the Matriarch straightened before speaking._

"As has been touched upon briefly before, Kudo-san still keeps contact with a few members within the city. If possible Kudo-san, I would like to meet this 'Grandmother'."

_The young man in question sketched a salute._

"It'd be my honour. Please, follow me."

_**End. I just want to clear up some confusions people may have with the honorifics I am and am not using. Kurogane doesn't use honorifics; he gives mini titles to people and sticks with them; Sakura is the princess, Touya is Waka, Fai is the Wizard and Nahga is Spitfire. **_

_**Yasha addresses those higher then himself with an honorific, but calls other people by their titles or distinguishing characteristics; Kurogane is the Eastern Dragon, Yelan is Yelan-sama, Kero is the Lion.**_

_**Syaoran gives honorifics to those he respects or uses their title; Sakura's either princess or Hime, Yasha is Yasha-sama, the Squad is by name with -chan, you get it. The reason he calls Kazahaya by full name is because he is unsure what to think of him.**_

_**Review for Oky?**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	8. Caught

_**It's Sakura's turn! Hooray!**_

_I couldn't catch my breath, and I daren't stop to attempt. The water was closing in on us, closer and closer every step, every second._

_We had just caught sight of the door to the surface when the water caught us._

_It was freezing cold, and the sudden temperature difference threw my body into shock; I couldn't move and could hardly think. _

_I could barely even breathe, even before the water covered my face._

_Through eyes fighting to stay open and a mind being beckoned into sleep, I was able to see Nahga-sama and Umi-san working to get the others to safety. I saw Ashura-chan's slumped form being held tightly to Yasha-sama's, though both were helpless in the crushing throes of the water._

_A single tear escaped my eye and diluted into the heavy body of water surrounding me._

_Unless Nahga-sama and Umi-san were able to work fast enough to save us ... most of us were going to die._

_As more tears joined the water, I felt a searing heat, from deep within and from my pinkie upon which sat a ring. As the heat became more and more intense, I could hear ... a voice? Was it a voice echoing through my head?_

_**Born ... ark and Li ... Morning ... ight. Power ... il from thi ... rror ... End.**_

_I tried my hardest to focus on the words the voice was saying. It wasn't Kin's voice, it was more ... it was more like the voice the Blood Wisps used; neither young nor old, neither male nor female._

_**Born ... ween ... Da ... ght, Bo ... ing melds ... To this Chi ... Power I'll ... this World ... End.**_

_My eyes snapped open as I realized the words, the discovery synchronising with the heat reaching an almost unbearable level. Somehow I opened my mouth to scream, and as I did so, the voice in my head all but screamed the words as well. _

_**Born between both Dark and Light, Born when Morning melds with Night. To this Child, my Power I'll Lend, Until from this World, the Terror will End.**_

_The heat was excruciating; never before had I felt anything like it. Of their own will, my hands raised in the water, spread out and I felt a sudden pulse thrum through me. Gritting my teeth at the onslaught of sensation which was neither pleasure nor pain, I felt the water change direction; twisting around my body like a spout. _

_When another deep pulse beat through my body it proved too much._

_I blacked out._

* * *

_My room of the soul was flooding._

_When I 'woke' in my room of the soul, it had been as it was the last time I was there; the beautiful pastel field with a never seen tree. There was a slight addition within a few hours though; a deep, crystal clear pond formed within the room._

_People often confused and mixed the symbolising of what was in the room of the soul. For instance; __a flowered field or garden represents tranquility, comfort, love and domestic bliss in dreams, so people assume that's what it means in your room of the soul. _

_Not quite._

_A flowered field or garden in the room of the soul represents peace, kindness and gentleness just on its own, and has further meanings based in the types of flowers. The blue violets, yellow alstroemeria, white alyssum, blue borage, pink magnolia's, and so many others I could see added all sorts of meanings to the field._

_In dreams a pond suggests that you keep your feelings contained and in check, you are emotionally calm. In the room of the soul, any body of water represent great change, and hidden secrets. After what felt like an hour of resting my feet in the cool blue water, it suddenly started raining._

_Rain is a warning._

_The Sakura Tree that I am unable to see quivered when the rain started falling, and didn't take long to see why - it wasn't water falling from the sky._

_It was blood._

_Within moments the viscous, pungent red had coated my body, painted the field and dyed the beautiful pond to match its hue. Even through the layer that had clung to my skin I could feel the rising level against my body, a slightly slower and plenty more gruesome version of what had happened in the Western Bridge. As the blood appeared to finally reach the sky from which it fell, I felt a stirring within my room._

_Gentle at first, but growing stronger quickly. It was almost a white shadow within the red, and always at the corner of my eye; I could never fully see what it was. Just as I was starting to panic -what with the whole swimming in blood while mystery shadow watches thing- the ring on my pinkie finger blazed in heat and, in bursts of colour not dissimilar to Kero-chan and Yue-san's bracelets, the ring melted from my finger and reformed in front of me as a staff._

_Solid silver metal met my skin as I grabbed hold of the staff, black markings scrawling an unknown language across its surface._

_**Strong Legs to Stand, Strong Will to Live. To this Strong Child, My Aid I Give. **_

_**Strong Hands to Guide, Strong Soul to Trust. To Aid This Strong Child, I Truly Must. **_

_**Strong Heart to Love, Strong Voice to Laugh, I Entrust to You, My Treasured Staff. **_

_**Neither Attack Nor Defend is the Staff's Task. But Both Dear Child, Should You But Ask.**_

_Pulling the staff closer to my body, I found the blood was swiftly dropping in level, draining away through some unknown and unseen gap in my room._

_My field was all but dead; the flowers and grass brown, black and withered. The pond was still there, but it was grey and murky. A gentle breeze brought a few charry blossom petals from the Tree's branches and I caught some in my hand. Instead of the pretty pale pink they normally were, the Tree had followed old lore and were now a deep, dark red, the roots of the Tree drinking the colour from the blood that had flowed._

_A slight crunch of dead grass snapped my attention back to the white shadow._

_Looking fully at the being, I was reminded of the Dream Walker's silhouette; I could tell someone was there but I could see nothing clearly. For a long moment, the being appeared to be studying me, before it dropped low to the ground and dashed forward._

_Startled, I jumped away, reaffixing my hold on the staff and squaring my feet once I had landed._

_I had no clue as to what this thing was, but it was dangerous and would cause who knows what sort of damage in my room of the soul. Sure, my room was in ruins, but that merely reflected how I was right now; no room of the soul stays the exact same forever, they all change as their owner changes._

_The being shrouded in white came at me again and I lifted the staff ready to fend off it's attack when one of the black lines of text caught my eye._

_**Neither Attack Nor Defend is the Staff's Task. But Both Dear Child, Should You But Ask.**_

_Closing my eyes for a split second, I begged that the staff help protect me and defeat this creature. The staff was light and balanced, but once I made my pleas, the weight disappeared from my hands. I swung without thinking, the staff connecting solidly with the creatures arm and throwing the body a short distance away._

_Slightly tightening my grip as the creature rose from the ground, I swallowed and moved to strike. A heavy swing that honestly felt like I was swinging a baseball bat collided with the creatures head with a sickening crack. I swallowed again begging myself not to throw up, not even knowing if you could on the soulscape, but begging none the less._

_The creature gave out a loud wail as it slumped on the ground and finally stopped moving. Though the battle hadn't lasted long, and only a few attacks were made, I fell to my knees in exhaustion, slight tremors wracking my body as I tried to understand what had just happened. The white shroud hiding the creature's features lifted and I once more fought against throwing up._

_The broken body of Kirai Arkam was sprawled before me._

_Scooting a few paces further away, I took deep breaths and tried to calm down. Kirai Arkam, a selfish arrogant fool within the ranks of the Lupine, had been killed months ago, shot through the head by my own hand. He was DEAD. And yes, I deeply regretted it._

_But I would not change my actions, even if I could._

_My regret at killing him was because he was beyond saving. I regretted that Kirai Arkam was so twisted and cruel that he was without hope of light._

_But I would not change my actions._

_As I thought this, Kirai Arkam's form dissolved, the sand-like material swirling in place as his body turned into a tree. Cautiously rising and stepping closer, I found it to be a fig tree._

_Acceptance._

_Figs are an imperfect fruit; they are shaped similar to a pear, but have such a heavy skin covering flesh that is tricky to get to. But people adore figs for their flavour and numerous health benefits, so their shortcomings are easily enough accepted._

_I had accepted my actions in regards to Kirai Arkam's death, is that what the tree meant?_

_A burst of colour danced through the air as the staff returned to its place on my pinkie as a ring. Looking down at my hand, I saw an azalea held in it. Colour began seeping back into the field around me, though it was markedly different. There were no more pastel shades bar the gentle pink of the cherry blossoms, the light pink of the magnolias, and the mild pink of the now sprouting azaleas._

_Looking again to the azalea in my hand, I started when a light weight came to rest on my shoulder._

"Not young, not old, but in between. Power true and yet to be seen. Kin's Mistress, Kin's Princess, Kin's closest Friend. Know that Kin's with you to the end."

_A few tears slipped from my eyes at my familiars loving words, and I smoothed her feathers as she nuzzled my cheek. Once more looking to my hand, I found the azalea gone, replaced with a deep purple Hyssop bloom. Kin started chirping happily when she saw it. As I placed the bloom onto the ground it spread roots into the earth and began multiplying, little patches popping up amongst the other flowers. The scent of Jasmine, Lavender and Rose no longer floated through the air, predominant over the flowers in the field. Instead, merging with the planted blooms, was only the scent of cherry blossoms._

_The pond was gone, and aside from a few splashes of colour that fit the shade, no remnants of the bloody rain. Sitting under the new fig tree, I felt my being drift into slumber, a sign that I was about to wake._

* * *

"-is all I've been able to see. I cannot yet tell if someone is blocking me or if it is not yet time for me to know, but I am restricted."

_A gentle voice rang sweetly through the air and I forced my eyes to open._

_I was seated in a high back wicker chair just off the outer veranda of an old house. Yue-san and Kero-chan were nearby, focusing on the elderly woman speaking to the group. Kudo-san was sitting right next to her, closer then strangers would comfortably. Himura-san was next to him looking a tad angry for it._

_I realized that this woman must be 'Grandmother'. She certainly looked the part. Doumeki-san spoke._

"Has there been anything, aside from the Elder's actions, that leads you to believe someone may be blocking you?"

_She shook her head._

"There has been nothing directing to one person or another, but plenty of little things that older practitioners know can cause blocking; salt near my camellias, a Koi I did not buy swimming in my pond, and a killed bird left by my bedroom window."

_A soft muttering rose from the group, before Naoko-chan spoke._

"What exactly would those things do? How do Camellias, koi and birds have anything to do with your divining through a Saban sand plate?"

_I found myself speaking._

"Camellias represent the bond between lovers -the delicate petals are the woman, and the strong calyx the man. Camellia petals produce an excellent oil that helps in cleaning, and the calyx produces a powder that gives stronger colour to whatever it is mixed with. By cleaning the sand with the oil, and mixing it with the powder, the sand is blessed by the lovers, and is believed to grant a clearer prediction.

Koi are believed to be the embodiment of Yin and Yang, and are picked specifically by the owner for how said owner perceives balance. An unknown fish disrupts balance within the grounds of their home. And birds are often referred to as messengers. To kill one before it can deliver its message was in the past a sure way to aid victory in battle.

On their own, they are mere nuisances, but altogether, they can form a powerful shield against ones powers. It would be prudent to keep a careful eye on who draws near this house." _I looked up_. "Because there is something malicious in the air."

_**Blue Violet - **_**watchfulness, faithfulness, I'll always be true, modesty**_**. Alstroemeria - **_**devotion, friendship**_**. Alyssum -**_** worth beyond beauty**_**. Borage - **_**courage, bluntness**_**. Magnolia - **_**perseverance, dignity, nobility.**_** Hyssop - **_**Sacrifice**_**, **_**cleanliness**_**. Azalea - **_**symbol****of womanhood**_**. Totally made up the fig tree's meanings, and the relations between the items and Grandmothers fortune telling. Camellias do symbolise lovers. Review?**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo.**_


	9. Answers

'_**To One and All and All and One! ... That seems a little redundant ...' Robin Hood, Men in Tights, Prince John.**_

_The ease with which the Black Bouquet sundered even a portion of the barrier protecting the centre City was rather unnerving. A single archer and a single arrow, wrought a hole in a barrier that is said to have never once in over a century fallen._

_The Hunter was indeed a fearsome predator._

_Once we were in the confines of the City, the Matriarch spoke of seeing the one referred to as Grandmother, and the group swiftly made its way, following the young man who had kept her in his contact. The journey was swift, the young man not for a moment losing his way within the sharp corners and hidden streets of the City._

_After a half hour of walking, we reached the Ancient Quarter._

_The Ancient Quarter, as the name suggests, is very old. Buildings made of hand cut stone and hand mixed mortar, roofs a combination of thatched straw and ceramic tiles. Properties of extreme size, said to have once housed royalty and the nobility. The young man led us deeper and deeper within the Ancient Quarter, not stopping for a moment to wonder at the sight of history presented before us. _

_The one called Ascot spoke on the young man's apparent disinterest._

"How can you just keep walking? These places are amazing!"

_The young man turned and blinked bemusedly._

"I've seem them all before; I grew up," _His words halted as he gave our surroundings a quick search, and pointed to one of the largest estates_ "In that one. The building will be empty right now, but in about two hours, my Mùnǎiyī will return from working at a small healer's clinic and an hour after that, Bàba should return from the hospital he works at."

_The young man then returned to his task of leading us to the woman 'Grandmother'. Everyone of the group, aside from the young Moon and Lion, stopped, trying to fully understand. Casting a glance at the estate, My Ashura quickly ran to the entrance and read the name plate before dashing back._

"The name says Kudo."

_With nothing to say or do to such a revelation, the group moved to catch up to the others, who were almost out of sight. We did not speak until we reached the house owned by Grandmother._

* * *

_Having not met the elderly woman before, I was unsure how to picture Grandmother -several variants of the woman had come to mind; the small plump woman who spent her time not fortune telling baking, the gangly spinster who could scare one off with a look, the tired one who did only what got her through the day._

_She was all, yet none of these._

_Grandmother was a small, slightly plump woman, never having married or seriously entering a relationship, and indeed did little more than what it took to get through the day._

_But she only spent time in the kitchen to grab something to drink, she was far too sweet and gentle to try to scare someone off, and once she had done everything to get through the day, she enjoyed herself immensely with drink._

_I hadn't pictured the woman as an alcoholic._

"Ah, my Little Breeze! How you have grown!"

_She held the young man in a tight hug, he returning the gesture readily, making sure not to spill the bottle of Kirin beer in her hand._

"Grandmother, I missed seeing you. Come, you wished to meet him."

_Grandmother gently tapped the young mans arm._

"Not now, my Little Breeze. When we are all together. Come, we will discuss in the garden; I've set out a chair for the flower."

_Following and settling ourselves in the inner courtyard, the still slumbering Hime placed in a wicker chair just off the veranda, the Matriarch began to speak._

"We have been told that you are fully aware of everything that has been going on?" _Grandmother nodded. _"Then I won't waste time retelling why we are here. I apologise for my bluntness, but what are you able to tell us?"

_Grandmother was wearing a brown cheong sam decorated with golden camellias under a deep pocketed __jiákè. From the jiákè she pulled a broad glass and placed it before her._

"I am able to tell you everything I know, depending on if you can pay the price."

_The young man seated beside Grandmother blushed slightly and covered his face with one of his hands. The Matriarch gaped for a few seconds, before turning to her companion, who looked just as confused. Yelan-sama and the young Alpha looked perplexed, the young Alpha actually pulling out his wallet, before putting it back rethinking Grandmother's words._

_A gentle 'clunk' brought our attention back to the elderly woman._

_A large heavy bottle of Daiginjo sake rested next to the glass Grandmother had produced. As the woman eagerly opened the bottle and poured herself a drink, the Hunter returned to his previous seat and closed the pack he carried._

"To provide such a high class sake ... it would seem the Sparrow is personally invested in these matters." _Taking a swift gulp of the liquor, the guise of the giddy woman faded, a serious face presented,_ "Ask your questions, and if I'm able, I shall answer."

_The Hunter spoke._

"Who started?"

"Elder Móguǐ."

"What does he plan?"

"To stand atop the world as it's King."

"How did he convince them?"

"His magic lies in manipulating the mind. Only those of like power, of fortune-based power, or of stronger power will not succumb to his whisperings."

"What is Dírén's power?"

"To amplify the powers of others and to create a great shield. His power is stronger then Móguǐ's, he will not fall."

_The Hunter nodded before glancing to the Matriarch and Yelan-sama, indicating he had nothing else yet to ask. Yelan-sama spoke up._

"How long has this been in planning?"

"Before your husband's birth."

"Did they manipulate my husband's choices?"

"No. Little Shen Long was very powerful, and the Elders, Móguǐ in particular, could do nothing."

_Grandmother smiled gently._

"Little Shen Long adored you for years dear Yelan. He visited me often, and would on occasion have me tell his fortune in regards to you. His interest and love of you was pure, and untouched."

_Yelan-sama's hands, clasped tightly in her lap, loosened just a bit, and a single tear rolled down her cheek, before her face once more held the impassivity it was recognised for. Nodding to the Matriarch, Yelan-sama sat a little taller than she had before._

"Why target the Black Bouquet in Japan, when they haven't even got all of China under thumb?"

_Grandmother took a strong pull of the liquor from her glass._

"Móguǐ's powers can change anything that the mind perceives and alter how the owner thinks, but like most, it is a temporary change and it is greatly taxing the longer he must spend on it. Knowing this, Móguǐ has spent years slowly changing how the Elders think until they naturally follow a certain process.

Think of it like the mind is a chalk board; every day, a single sentence is written on the chalkboard in the morning, then at night, the sentence is erased. After a great number of days have passed, even with the erasing, the sentence will still be able to be read. The chalk has managed to scratch off the surface of the board and now, even if it's not as visible, the sentence is stuck there, a part of the chalkboard.

By using this method, Móguǐ uses little strength and concentration, and subliminally brings the others over to his side.

But the thought must be something that is familiar and safe to the Elders for it to work.

Móguǐ has only once tried to tamper with my mind, but I do recall the phrase he tried to implant; 'We need to keep China safe. Móguǐ has spies and knowledge; I'll help him to protect China'. It is the use of the word 'protect' that convinces the Elders that it is their thoughts, and Móguǐ has acted accordingly, getting his spies into the other land masses, getting his knowledge up. As I've said, this plan has been going on for years -Since Móguǐ was still a boy."

_A shocked silence rang through the courtyard. Grandmother stopped speaking long enough to finish her drink and pour herself another._

"The reason for going after the Black Bouquet is, alas, because of a fortune I once gave to Shi Fu. He asked what his final act would be. Using my saban sand plate, I foretold of a battle with a black flower. When, shortly after, we heard of the exploits of the Black Bouquet, Shi Fu started being a little jumpy. I put it down to being unnerved by the fortune, and foolishly cast the thought away. Shi Fu is thinking that if the Black Bouquet is eradicated quickly without personally being there, he will live longer."

_The silence that held within the courtyard was now a deep one, one of thinking and arranging knowledge and ideas. At my side, my Ashura slowly raised his hand, speaking when Grandmother nodded to him._

"Do the Elders have access to another fortune teller? I mean, do they use another fortune teller besides you? Seeing as Móguǐ can't over power you ... wait ... um..."

_Grandmother smiled._

"They do have another fortune teller, one that Móguǐ has brainwashed since birth, using traditional methods -constant reaffirmation, severe punishment and reward you get the idea- seeing as his powers don't affect those of fortune base. I don't know the young woman's name; I'm unsure if she even has one. They use her abilities frequently, but she is not a proper fortune teller as I am."

_There was no arrogance in her words as she said this, only fact. Taking another drink, she continued._

"She tells them what they want to hear, and when the predictions do not match the event, she claims that the future is not set in stone, and it isn't so she gets away with it. She has some power, enough to weave half truths into what the Elders wish to hear so that they can see where 'the path strayed' or 'when someone interfered', or whatever other excuse she provides them.

She breaks the rules constantly. And very soon, she will have to pay a hefty price for it. If she stopped now, she could pay the price and be fine ... but she has been told she will stand with Móguǐ as his queen if she does as she is told."

_The young man at her side leaned closer to her and gave her a hug, and it was only then that I noticed she was crying. This other fortune teller ... Grandmother was crying for her. After she had cried for a while, and dried her tears, Grandmother motioned for any more questions to be asked. It was the young Lion who asked._

"What can you tell us about the upcoming confrontation?"

"Not too much, as there is no telling what might change between now and then. But what I do know for certain is that two flowers will fall from the bouquet and wither. The blooms left behind will wilt for a moment, before bursting with new and greater strength; standing firm against their adversaries.

Sadly, that is all I've been able to see. I cannot yet tell if someone is blocking me or if it is not yet time for me to know, but I am restricted."

_The Hunter spoke once more, his question prompted by the knowledge he has gained under the guidance of the Space-Time Mage._

"Has there been anything, aside from the Elder's actions, that leads you to believe someone may be blocking you?"

_Grandmother shook her head._

"There has been nothing directing to one person or another, but plenty of little things that older practitioners know can cause blocking; salt near my camellias, a Koi I did not buy swimming in my pond, and a killed bird left by my bedroom window."

_As my skills did not lie in the realm of divining, I could not recognise the importance of such actions, and judging by the muttering and confusion coming from the rest of the group, I was not alone. One of the young women from the Black Bouquet, the one called Yanagisawa Naoko, spoke her confusion._

"What exactly would those things do? How do Camellias, koi and birds have anything to do with your divining through a Saban sand plate?"

_A good question. We were all surprised when the princess, who had been sleeping up until this moment answered, spoke up, linking all the incidents in a way that was obvious once mentioned. It was a heavy atmosphere that greeted her final statement._

"It would be prudent to keep a careful eye on who draws near this house. Because there is something malicious in the air."

_**Mùn****ǎ****iyī mummy, ****Bàba papa,**** Kirin beer is a beer named after a creature of Chinese myth, cheong sam Chinese dress, **__**jiákè jacket, **__**Daiginjo sake mentioned in volume 18 of xxxholic it's essentially a classy booze. A lot of talking in this chapter, but that's all that really happened while Hime was in her room of the soul. I didn't bother putting her entire explanation behind the incidents again because I assume people got it the first time. Review?**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	10. Questions

'**Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread.**__**Mum always told me I was special**_**.' Night Court, Policeman and Harold T. Stone.**_

_You could feel the power in the air as it hummed around the Princess. She has always been strong, but never has it been so ... blatant. I could feel the Wizard twitch beside me as one of the gentle pulses brushed his skin._

_One of the barriers over her powers had been unlocked. She wouldn't be so completely hidden from the world anymore. _

"HIME!"

_Teenagers ..._

_The squad and the Chinese girls all ran to the Princess and hugged the stuffing out of her, demanding answers of her well being, why she slept so long, was she hungry - I'm surprised the Princess was able to answer them all._

_Once the hyperactivity had stopped, or slowed given the ones involved, The Fortune Teller stood and placed herself before the Princess._

"Let me see your soul child."

_Gently cupping one of the Princess' cheeks in a wrinkled old hand, the old woman stared deep into the Princess' green eyes. After several long minutes, they both blinked and The Fortune Teller took a step away._

"Have you found what you needed child?"

"I believe I have."

"And what will you do with it child?"

"That which needs to be done."

_The creases and wrinkles on the old woman's face deepened as she gave a broad smile._

"Such a good girl, you are child. Truly, I think you'll be able to do as you've chosen."

_Turning to face the rest of the group, the old woman suddenly had an evil look on her face._

"My, my, where are my thoughts? I can't have guests in such states of dress. All the boys in the room on the left side of the hall, girls in the right. My Little Breeze, I expect you to help the boys choose suitable Zhōngshānzhuāng, and the girls I will help choose appropriate cheong sam. Off you go now, off you go."

_The two halves of the group were hustled into the indicated rooms, and as commanded, Kudo started divvying up the clothes as he deemed appropriate._

_I will say this for him, Kudo has good taste._

_I was put in a black ensemble with blood red decoration, just the style I like. The red dragons climbing my chest and back suit me well. The Wizard was in a white outfit with blue phoenixes decorating him. He looked good, despite his grumbling about being stuck with the bird no matter what he did._

_Once everyone was dressed, we made our way back outside, only to be met by the Matriarch and Yelan. After receiving their approval we were allowed back into the courtyard where the rest of the women were._

_The Princess was wearing a deep green cheong sam with pale pink Lotus' on the fabric. It suited her. Hers was the only outfit I had the time to really take in before The Fortune Teller started talking again._

"In any way I can, I shall lend you my support. My old bones may not be useful in actual battles, but I believe my mind is still quite sharp, and I have the bonus of years of experience that none of you yet have. How exactly are you planning to deal with the Elders?"

_The Matriarch spoke._

"The original plan was to seal all their magics and detainment. With the information you have provided however, combined with the shows of power we have already displayed by coming here, we are realising the very fear that Móguǐ had them develop. At the very least we must seal and detain Móguǐ as no good can come from him."

_Before The Fortune Teller could say anything in response, a loud chiming rang through the air._

"Remain seated; I'll go answer the door. There is nothing to be concerned for; I know who is calling."

_Getting to her feet, the old woman quickly moved down the hall and out of sight while she greeted whoever was at the door. As was coming to be habit, we all moved to place a protective circle around the princess, though a quick glance to her told me that she was not pleased with our actions. She said nothing on it however, showing that she knew we would keep doing so regardless of what she said on the matter._

_The sound of three sets of footsteps brought our attention back to the hall The Fortune Teller had disappeared down. She, a young woman and man entered our sight._

"Mùnǎiyī! Bàba!"

_Kudo broke through the circle and ran to the couple ignoring all but his sires._

_The two showed a mixture of shock, confusion and deep, deep relief at seeing Kudo, both wrapping their arms around the boy as he held on to them._

_Kudo was practically a copy of his mother. Blond hair, worn longer on one side. A slim build without appearing gangly. A delicateness of his features that wasn't strictly feminine but was a far cry from the masculinity of his father._

_The man was standing a head and a half above his wife and son, and had short black hair with a broader, more muscled frame then Kudo. But they both held themselves the same way; fairly confident in what they could do, would attempt something themselves before handing over a task._

_There was no doubt that these two were Kudo's biological parents._

"Wǒ de zhēnguì de. My Kazahaya."

"Érzi. You're still alive."

"Mùnǎiyī, Bàba, I'm here, I'm okay, I'm fine."

_Aaaaaaaaaand, cue cry scene._

_I totally understand why they've all got the waterworks going, but not being a crier, I don't see how it helps anything. The Wizard is next to me sniffling, a handkerchief held to his face to catch his tears and blow his nose - that's another thing, why would you wipe your eyes with a cloth used to clear your nose? Or is that just me? Whatever._

_Turning away from the crying family, my eyes happened to fall on Himura and he looked as uncomfortable as I felt, only his discomfort was from seeing his foster-brother/boyfriend willingly embracing the family he ran away from._

_Perhaps he was worried that, once all was said and done, Kudo would stay with them in China._

"My Little Breeze, you wanted to introduce us earlier. My Little Flare will find out about him soon enough, so please do."

_Kudo smiled gratefully at The Fortune Tellers words, pulling from his parents and cleaning his face with a cloth the old woman handed him. Once he had composed himself, he ran back to the group and pulled Himura from the ranks and dragged him to stand before the three._

"Mùnǎiyī, Bàba, Grandmother, this is Himura Rikuo - My xuǎnzé."

_Himura looked a little confused by the title, not knowing what it meant. All the Lupine members of the group were either stifling their laughter, hiding their surprise, or looking on approvingly. The princess, her family and her guards were much the same. I was snickering._

_Kudo himself was blushing a deep red, and the three before him were appraising Himura intently. Finally his father spoke._

"So you will be staying with him Érzi?"

_Kudo nodded, clasping a bit tighter onto Himura's hand._

"Then I wish you all the happiness you deserve."

_Kudo smiled in joy as he released Himura's hand only to throw his arms around him in a hug. His parents smiled before looking to Himura again._

"I am Kudo Shuichiro, and this is my wife Kudo Kohaku."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Nǚxù."

_I slapped a hand over my mouth at that. Himura looked really confused with the titles from both Kudo and his mother, but appeared to take it in stride._

_A sudden bloodlust killed any joy in the courtyard as a new voice rand sickly sweet through the air._

"So he's to blame ... He's the one who took my Kaza ..."

_On instinct, both Himura and Kudo dashed forward to provide cover for Kudo's parents and The Fortune Teller. _

_There, standing on the edge of the open roof, was a woman who undoubtedly must be the 'twin' Kazahaya brought mention to back in the Recourt Library. His Sister 'Kei'._

_Now, I'm a hard advocate of not believing everything I see; this has saved my neck far too many times for me to believe otherwise. The girl on the roof looked to be sweet, innocent and a little peeved that, though her brother was back, he had brought a guy home with him. All in all, she looked like a normal girl her age with an apparent climbing fetish._

_No, she was dangerous as hell._

_I've seen Kudo when he uses his magic to actually fight; it's brutal. I know for a fact that Kudo is rather gentle and dislike shows of violence, which is totally against the fighting style he uses, and so he avoids battle where he can, but when he has been forced to fight, he shifts the winds into blades that have a moving edge, making them sharper then tempered steel, and flesh holds no resistance to it. He much prefers using the more gentle aspects of his magic, such as amplification and information gathering. He even uses it to speed up his not inconsequential running speed._

_The ever kind and gentle Kudo Kazahaya gave himself the nickname of Wind Runner._

_This girl however, who had jumped from the roof to land within the courtyard, carried the stench of eager death on her. The scent of one who kills when they can because they can._

"My Kaza ... My Kaza, you've come back to Kei. You've realised that you should always stay with Kei. I'll get rid of him for you my Kaza, so you can stay here without worry. I'll kill the person who stole you from home and then you can stay here with Kei."

_Called it._

_Without any regard for Kudo's shouting at her to stop and listen, the girl threw a series of knives at Himura, no doubt expecting all of them to hit their target. Himura simply swept both his arms up, the knives caught and instantly melting in the beyond extreme heat of the wall of fire his actions had summoned._

_Himura Rikuo was called the Fire Lord after all._

_Thinking quickly, Kudo got his parents and The Fortune Teller to move within the boundaries of the circle guarding the Princess. Himura quickly dashed in front of the four while they were moving and covered them from the girl's attacks, which became fervent when Himura called upon his flames. Once the five were within the circle, the girl started screeching._

"Mǔqīn! Fùqīn! What are you doing?! I'm not going to hurt you so why do you cower?! And behind this fiend's companions no less?! He stole My Kaza! You yourself said that he'd be keeping My Kaza!"

"Wǒ zhēnxī! He has not stolen your brother! You know Kazahaya fled from the Elders!"

"Nǚ'ér! Please listen my nǚ'ér!"

"NO! YOU'VE TURNED AGAINST THE LUPINE! TRAITORS, TRAITORS, TRAITORS!"

_The girl was shrinking back slightly, like a cornered animal, though no one was game to get too close._

"I AM THE FIRE DANCER! MY KAZA IS MEANT TO ONLY BE BESIDE KEI. I WILL NOT LET HIM BE STOLEN BY ANYONE! THIS THEIF SAW MY FIRE AND STOLE IT SO HE COULD STEAL MY KAZA! MY KAZA IS MINE!"

_The girl's control over her element was failing, bursts of fire springing up left right and centre. The entire group had been protecting against her magic, Umi and the Spitfire using their magic to douse the flames. With her panicking, the chances of something bad happening were high. As we prepared for another burst, a shadow appeared over the girl's shoulder, a silver staff pulled across her neck._

"Please forgive me."

_**Zhōngshānzhuāng a tunic suit. W**__**ǒ**__** de zhēnguì de my precious one.**____**Érzi son. Xu**__**ǎ**__**nzé chosen. N**__**ǚ**__**xù son-in-law. M**__**ǔ**__**qīn mother. Fùqīn father. W**__**ǒ**__** zhēnxī my treasured. N**__**ǚ**__**'ér daughter.**_

_**The reasons I am using all the Chinese words are 1) I don't really know what else to call the clothes besides just describing them, but I'm bad at that so by giving you the name you can have some help, thanks to the wonders of Googleimages. 2) To represent the closeness of certain aspects or people; Kazahaya truly loves his parents, hence he calls them in the language he first learnt, same as them. Kei is not as comfortable around their parents so she is more formal. 3) When magic was reawakened, a language all its own flowed through the lands, teaching itself to everyone. All languages still exist, and plenty refuse to speak this magic-borne one, but everyone can understand it and it became the norm. The traditional languages are now mostly for stuff that doesn't translate well into the new language or familiarity. Yes I'm bullshitting about the new language, but how else does everyone understand each other? Review?**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	11. Wound Up

_**"The heart wants what it wants. There's no logic to these things. You meet someone and you fall in love and that's that." – Woody Allen**_

_I had heard of the Fire Dancer before. Nothing too specific, just that she was a fire mage within the Lupine, that wasn't quite all there. It happened a lot to magic users who suffered under the effects of sakanagi. Looking at the crazed young woman who had attacked us, I could easily believe her claims._

_But it was who had stopped her that truly held my gaze._

_As the young woman's control of fire reacted to her unstable emotions a silver staff had been pulled tight across her throat and jerked back, stopping her breathing for a moment and forcing her to her knees._

_As the woman blacked out from a further deprivation of air, the staff was removed and the one who had stopped her stepped back, still in a defensive position._

_My eyes -and several others' too- dashed to the centre of the group and back, disbelieving of the sight._

_How had Hime slipped past all of us to enter the fight?_

_The silver staff was replaced by the Fire Dancer's neck, holding the woman down should she begin to awake._

"How is it that she is so affected by sakanagi? I have seen the principles in Kudo-san's magic, and I know he would have gotten it from you." _Her eyes rose to look at Kudo Kazahaya's parents._ "Why has she been let to become this?"

_Eyes pained and shamed, the woman Kohaku came forward and began running her fingers through the Fire Dancer's hair._

"When wǒ de zhēnguì de disappeared, wǒ zhēnxī grew angry; at the Elders, at her father and I, at the Lupine, everyone. Everyone but Kazahaya. I'm a magic healer, but I too have suffered under sakanagi -I was forced to do the spell or be punished- and as such, my control over my magic is temperamental. Shuichiro and I both trained our Chǒng'ér how to protect against sakanagi so they wouldn't suffer like I had, but when Kazahaya left ..."

_She seemed unable to continue the sobs wracking her body and the tears streaming from her eyes enough for her husband to come forward and embrace her while picking up where she left off._

"When my Érzi left, my Nǚ'ér blamed everyone for not keeping him with her. Kei decided she would be the one -the only one- to bring Kazahaya back, and make those who caused him to leave suffer. She began to ignore her mothers' teachings, and soon enough, was paying the price. But with her fervent training, despite the terrible, terrible things she suffered, Kei did grow incredibly stronger ... strong enough for the Elders to take notice.

They offered her specialized training so that she would grow even stronger at a much faster pace, and she took it. The Elders did nothing to circumvent the repercussions and Kei fell further into oblivion. She left our house soon after Kazahaya, and we have no idea where she has been staying. I have no magic, so I can do nothing to prevent her leaving when she has visited us, and Kohaku's magic doesn't allow for such spells to be cast without grave results.

Though so much we wish to protect our Chǒng'ér, we cannot do much against one who has greater power then us directly."

_Kohaku spoke again._

"When wǒ zhēnxī visits, I bespell whatever we offer her to eat or drink so that she heals, and I lace both with restoratives, so that she recovers quickly. But now, with the Elders holding hu zhuàng de, I just … I just don't know what is going to happen next."

_The woman started crying again as her husband encased her securely in his arms. Looking at the two of them more closely, I could see that neither looked particularly well; Kohaku was thin, but thin in that she hadn't enough weight, as if she had lost too much; Shuichiro had rings beneath his eyes that further denoted the tired sag that his entire body had._

_Both had been like this for quite some time._

_Kudo Kazahaya stepped forward._

"Is there anything we can do for her? There has to be; there are tonnes of reports of sakanagi victims recovering! Mùnǎiyī is proof! Yes, her control is off, but she doesn't go through what she used to!"

_Himura walked up to Kudo Kazahaya's side and gently held him, much like Shuichiro did for Kohaku._

"There might be Kazahaya." _Kudo Kazahaya's face was full of hope and questioning as he looked at his chosen. The rest of the group looked on in question as well._ "Sakanagi has many different forms, but from how she appears to have reacted, her sakanagi has attached itself to her soul. If someone were to enter her soul, they might be able to help clean it out."

_Kohaku and Shuichiro rose, their eyes matching Kudo Kazahaya's in hope. That hope was immediately squashed when my mother spoke._

"But to do so would require the presence of a Dream Walker. For any other attempt to enter the room of the soul would result in the death of both the one entering and the one having their soul entered."

"Then isn't it most fortunate that we are here?"

_As a whole, the members of the Lupine swung around to look at the speaker. Standing side by side were Yue-san and Tsukishiro Yukito. Yukito-san looked happy, a big grin on his face, and Yue-san looked quite smug -an expression that I had seen on his face before, but had never looked more natural than now._

"Yue-nii-san and I are both Dream Walkers. We'd be happy to help."

_Hope was rekindled flames in the eyes of the Kudo's present. Shock was in the rest of the Lupines. Meiling sidled up to me and whispered as the two men began preparing._

"Why didn't Yue-san ever tell us he was a Dream Walker? Even when Hime-chan got infected with the Demon's Blood, he didn't breathe a word of it."

"Because he didn't have to."

_The voice was whispered like Meiling's, but it still made us jump. Turning we saw Ceroberus-san watching the proceedings with half an eye with the other half on us._

"Yue's a private person, who was stolen from his family. Anything he told any of you could have ended up reaching the Elders ears; they've already proven to have spies everywhere. Dream Walkers are rare; why would he risk having the Elders knowing that he was one?"

_Having finished speaking, the golden haired male nodded once and walked to stand at Hime's side. I felt a chill roll down my spine as, once more, I was reminded of how great the power held by the Black Bouquet was, and how foolish we were to try to overcome it. But still - my eyes once more latched onto the form of the princess and my fist clenched._

_I could not help but want her. For so many reasons, I wanted her._

_But I did not even merit the knowledge of her name._

_Yue-san began speaking, and I snapped away from such depressing thoughts, and the sharp pain in my chest, to pay attention to the situation at hand._

"We can enter her room of the soul, but she is going to fight us, so we think it would be prudent if we also brought Kudo and the Little One. Kudo because his soul -as the young woman's twin- will resonate most with hers, and the Little One, because three men in a young woman's soul is just asking for trouble."

_Some chuckles were spared through out the courtyard, and the Black Bouquet members got to work. Both Yue-san and Yukito-san held on to one of the Fire Dancer's hands, and with the other each held onto either Hime or Kudo Kazahaya, who then held on to each other in turn. Yue-san looked at the group as a whole and spoke a final time, the seriousness in his face and tone, as stern a warning as his words._

"Yukito-san and I are able to traverse the dreamscape, Kudo is the young woman's twin so she should instinctively protect him, and The Little one has experience with Dream Walkers, so despite not being 'related' as the three of us are, she should be more than adequately protected. No matter what, do not sever any of the connections. If you do, you might kill one of us, if not more."

_With that, the four entered into the plains of the dream world, and all the rest of us could do was wait._

* * *

_As the group sat waiting and guarding, I found myself pondering. Not anything in particular, just various thoughts and ideas that normally I don't have the time to expand on._

_Such as; __why did the Elders send Arkam?__ Because they knew Arkam would be swift to try and kill members of the Black Bouquet; if they were lucky, Arkam would at least incapacitate a key member in self defence, and by loyalty, we would have to act to protect or avenge him. By sending Xiongmao, there was also the option of him using the spell to control our actions into defending/avenging Arkam._

_Why do the Squad use aliases when, if they wanted to, they could hide every scrap of information about them?__ Because a bit of misdirection laced heavily with truth goes a lot farther in protecting secrets than just hiding it away, and causes far less suspicion._

_Why didn't they give Hime an alias?__ ... I'd come back to that one._

_Why did Kaho Mizuki never call out for Hime when she called the roll?__ Because she knew that the Lupine were up to something so she protected the princess._

_Why was Yue-san given near immediate membership of the Black Bouquet? __Because Yukito-san and Hime, and possibly even Ceroberus-san, gave him their validation, and he had strove to protect Yukito-san when he had been captured by the Lupine._

_Why didn't they give Hime an alias?__ ...Yeah, still didn't have an answer there._

_What could Hime's actual name be? __Ah, now there are many answers to this question._

_She could be called Aiko, a little loved one. She could be Amarante, a flower that never fades. Etsu, a delight. Hana, a bud or blossom. She could easily be a blessing, Keiko. Kohana, a little flower. She could be Miyo, a beautiful child. She could be Ruri, after her emerald eyes._

_There is no end to what her name could be. It was kinda fun trying to think up what name suited her best. I lost myself in this task for a while, thinking of name upon name upon name. I was brought back however when the rhythmic chiming of the doorbell rang through the air again. Grandmother rose from the cushion she had seated herself upon and went to answer the door._

"It's alright; I was able to receive a reading on who would be visiting my house today. They too are expected."

_A few moments passed when Grandmother returned, two young women behind her._

"I have spoken to them and they are willing to give what aid they may."

_One woman was dressed in a white shirt and pants suit with a blue wrap secured over it. Her hair was as long as Ashura-san's and she wore a head piece across the back._

"It's been some time Lady Kendappa."

"It has been Lord Yasha."

_The guardian of the East had a mixed expression on her face; you could tell she was happy that Yasha-sama was uninjured, but she seemed aggravated at his presence. The woman behind her spoke up._

"My Lady, you're making that face again."

_A noise of startlement escaped the Eastern Lady as she averted her face from those in the courtyard and appeared to be taking deep breaths, hiding behind her companion. The woman was of dark skin and matching eyes, wearing a black outfit that sat close to the skin for ease of movement. The woman who spoke bowed low._

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is-"

"Soma?"

_She jerked, spinning to look down the hall. Kurogane-san had travelled down them shortly before the two women's arrival, to the bathroom. He looked at the darker woman in what could almost be shock._

"Kurogane-chan? Wait, that means that they're-"

_She broke off her words to look more closely at those of us who were in the courtyard. As she did so I noticed that both Kendappa-sama and Jumon were wearing similar expressions of dislike._

"Nadeshiko-sama! Fujitaka-sama!"

_The dark woman ran into the courtyard and gave the Matriarch and her consort a hug which they eagerly returned._

"You are looking well Soma-chan. It's been so long since we've seen you."

"Understatement. We haven't seen Soma since she ran off the night before her Black Bouquet initiation ceremony Madam Matriarch."

_Well that certainly got attention. Jumon piped up from Kurogane-san's side where he had apparently draped himself without anyone noticing, sending glares at Soma-san._

"So she could've been a member of the double B?"

"Uh-huh. She's born the same year as me and we trained together growing up. Then the night before she turned ten, she freaked out about joining the Black Bouquet and bolted; do you have any idea how worried your folks are? Have you even tried letting them know you're alive?"

The two started an argument over what had happened, and most of us tuned it out. All I really took note of was how Jumon refused to let go of Kurogane-san and glared at Soma-san, and how Kendappa-sama jumped in to defend Soma-san while glaring at Kurogane-san.

I just took a deep breath and went back to watching the five people who were to all appearances sleeping; their hands clasped, as they rested on the soft grass in the courtyard.

_**Sakanagi basically karma. Read Tokyo Babylon for a better description. **__**W**__**ǒ**__** de zhēnguì de my precious one. W**__**ǒ**__** zhēnxī my treasured.**__** Ch**__**ǒ**__**ng'ér darlings. **__**Érzi son. N**__**ǚ**__**'ér daughter.**__** Hu zhuàng de pappy.**_ _**Mùn**__**ǎ**__**iyī mummy. This chapter introduces more Lupine hooray hurrah! Review!**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


	12. Let Loose

_**No random quote this time. Just a note; Thanks to everyone who reviews. If you're new to the story, please review even once if you favourite or follow; just let me know what you think. To Abby; the orchid represents**_** _Love, Beauty, and Refinement._**

_As I felt my ethereal body take shape on the Dreamscape, the thought that I was spending an alarming amount of time here for a non-Dream Walker flashed through my head._

_Yue-san and Yukito-san waited a few moments, until a red ribbon appeared from deep within the mists. The ribbon split into four and tied itself to each of us. I looked to the Judge and the Snow Rabbit a question in my eyes. They answered together._

"It is the reiraku. The soul ribbon. If you look as closely as you can at the mist..."

_They trailed off and Kudo-san I did as bid, looking deeply into the mists that covered the whole of the dreamscape._

_My eyes widened in shock, and I heard Kudo-san's sharp inhale._

_It wasn't mist._

"What you see is white reiraku. They belong to every single person who right this moment dreams. There are only three reasons for a reiraku not to be white.

The first is that they are having a nightmare, in which case, the ribbon turns black. The second is that a Dream Walker is searching for a certain soul, such as now, when the ribbon turns red.

The third reason is that the person is dying. If you look over there, you can see what colour the reiraku becomes."

_We followed their pointed fingers and sure enough, deep within the roiling coils of soul ribbons, a beautiful emerald green ribbon swayed softly in a nonexistent wind. _

"In the dreamscape, certain things can hold meanings that greatly differ from their counterparts in the waking realm. Usually black is used to reference death, and in a sense here it does; black represents the death of a peaceful dream. Red represents duty, hence why the ribbon turns red when we search. The ribbons are normally white to represent the equality when one dreams; everyone dreams, whether they remember it or not.

But the green signifies peace. When one is close to death, a Dream Walker -all Dream Walkers- dips a little of their power into the dreamscape, to ensure that no nightmare can touch the dreamer. We ensure that when their time comes, they only dream of happiness.

Come, we have much to do."

_Upon saying, the two were suddenly swathed with light -not enough for them to vanish from sight, but enough that their bodies were obscured. When the light dissipated, they both carried wings on their backs. The Judge moved forward and picked me up, while The Snow Rabbit moved to hold an arm around Kudo-san's waist and have one of Kudo-san's arms over his shoulders._

_And then we were flying, trailing after the red path before us._

_We came upon a set of tall doors and I could not stifle a shocked gasp at what I saw._

_At one point, the doors must have been amazing; they were made of what looked to be walnut, and were a nice light colour. The doors were depicting a blazing flame, coloured perfectly to make the image look warm and beautiful, yet still deadly. Little traces of silver decorated around the flame to appear as wind, a nod no doubt to her twinship with Kudo-san._

_The doors were battered and broken, scratches and gouges marred the beauty of the flames and wind. Angry black covered parts of the doors, as though someone had thrown a can of paint._

_The door to a room of the soul reflects how people see you. Kei-san was seen as someone once beautiful, but was now covered in unpleasantness._

_We opened the doors and once more I felt a deep sadness. The room looked akin to a temple of old; stone brick making up the roof, walls and floor, a stone altar with bowl holding a white flame upon a slightly raised dais, torches spread throughout the space casting everlasting tongues of fire._

_Just like in my field, the space seemed endless, even with the walls surrounding us. The room was warmer then normal, given the many torches in the space, and hanging on the wall behind the dais was a beautiful tapestry depicting the Kudo family; Kohaku-san in the middle, an arm around a shoulder each of her son and daughter, to her left Shuichiro-san with a hand of her shoulder and the other on Kudo-san's, and to her right an elderly man -who I presumed to be the great-grandfather Dírén- mirroring Shuichiro-san, with a hand on Kohaku-san's shoulder and the other on Kei's._

_They looked like such a beautiful, happy family. Not even the tears and smears over the tapestry could detract from that fact._

_The temple was in a state of ruin; debris and trash scattered everywhere, what looked to be graffiti slathered over the walls, cracks and fractures of varying sizes running through the stone._

_Just like her doors, Kei was once so beautiful, but had since been reviled._

_The Snow Rabbit spoke._

"All this damage has been caused by sakanagi. None of it appears to be too fresh, so we still have a little time before the payment for her spells in the courtyard come about. We must find her Marker of the Soul and protect it from damage-"

_Kudo-san spoke._

"How will we know for certain that we've found it? There are plenty of things in this room; what does the Marker look like? And how do we protect it?"

"The Marker of the Soul changes from person to person; it is a physical representation of them. This whole room makes you think of your sister, but there is something in here, that will beyond a doubt make us think Kudo Kei even though we do not know her personally well.

When we find it, we move to the reason we brought you here Kudo-san; as her twin, your souls are already bound, and therefore linked. Somewhere in this room, there is another door that leads directly to your room of the soul. We will take the marker there, going into the reason we brought the princess."

_I payed even closer attention, even as my eyes wandered around the temple, looking for anything that held my gaze. The Judge spoke, taking up where the Snow Rabbit left._

"The Little One, having the ability to freely travel to her own room of the soul, has gained the aura of healing that only female Dream Walkers can gain; do not be mistaken, The Little One is not a Dream Walker, but she has gained an ability that The Snow Rabbit and I cannot gain.

Male Dream Walkers can only ease and soothe souls. Female Dream Walkers are able to also heal and repair the damage taken to souls. There is only ever four female Dream Walkers at any given time, and all four were claimed well before The Little One's birth and still live."

_The room suddenly shook, dust and dirt fell from the ceiling, and the light that had been visible from the few windows in the wall dimmed, the pseudo-day becoming night._

"We've not much time left; we must hurry to find her marker!"

_We dashed into the depths of the room, trying to find Kei's true soul. I thought on what we knew of the woman, which admittedly wasn't much._

_Kudo-san's twin. Controller of fire. Impatient. Determined. Easily overcome. Trapped. Small but dangerous. Noticeable. _

_My eyes flashed wide open, and my gaze swung to the stone altar._

_Or more specifically, the small bowl holding a white flame._

_Putting my thumb and forefinger between my lips, a sharp whistle filled the air as I ran to where I was certain her marker rested. The three men responded instantly and hurried to join me, several times the Dream Walkers stopping to repel the damage being done as best they could. We met upon the dais and the Dream Walkers quickly examined the bowl and flame. Soon they quickly nodded and handed the marker to Kudo-san. The Judge held his hand over Kudo-san's eyes._

"Do not think, do not wonder; simply feel. What in this room feels different from the rest? What in this room does not resonate with fire, but with air?"

_Still protectively holding the bowl, Kudo-san obeyed the instructions and let his magic float through the room, small tendrils of wind reaching out to play with whatever it came across. Following the gentle glow of magic, we found it came to rest on the image of Kudo-san in the tapestry that, now that I thought of it, was the only person within the portrait that was untouched. Even Kei's own image was marred with graffiti and torn. Another heavy tremor rocked through the room, and the Snow Rabbit swiftly hustled us to the tapestry. Upon reaching it Kudo-san reached out with one hand, and we went right through it, entering a very different place indeed._

_It appeared to be an underground lagoon with deep connections to the topside, given the heavy breeze that blew. The wind cause constant ripples to travel across the surface of the water and I could hear the muted sounds of a wind chime. Turning to look where we came, I saw a mural painted on the wall mirroring that of the tapestry we had come through, though with noted differences._

_In the mural, Kudo-san was sitting in the centre, Kei to his right, and Himura-san to his left, both with a hand on his shoulders. His parents were standing behind, again with a hand his shoulder and one on Kei and Himura-san too. Between them stood Dírén, with a hand on his grandson and granddaughter-in-law's shoulders._

"Kudo-san, hand the marker over to the princess. You need to fully relax and become one with your room before we can start healing your sister. As your souls are born bound to each other, to heal her, we need to have her marker near yours."

_Carefully handing the bowl of white flame to me, Kudo-san breathed deeply and allowed his magic to suffuse him. As the wind in the room picked up, I turned to shelter the flame from it. Fire may feed upon the wind, but too much wind can easily blow out the fire. The wisps of magic finally overtook Kudo-san and his form began to shift, becoming something so much smaller than the man he was._

_The ringing of the wind chime grew stronger._

_It was a beautiful piece; made from glass, metal and wood. The deeper clunking of the wood came from the bottom of the three tiered wind chime, followed by the delicate green, gold and clear glass, topped by the sharp silver and blue metal. It was about the length of my arm and though the materials caused incredibly different sounds, it was a harmonious collection, no sound overpowering the others._

_The Snow Rabbit lifted the wind chime carefully from the very air that carried it, and handed it to me to hold along with the bowl._

"Let your own magic suffuse you now Little One. And dream. Let yourself wander as you would please. Let happen what you wish to happen; we will not see what you dream. We will protect you. Dream."

_I did as bid, and felt what magic I held surround me. I was amazed to discover that I had more then usual. Perhaps my reserves had increased with the reforming of my room of the soul? Who knows? I felt my eyes slide shut, the gentle whisperings of magic easing me to drift into dreams even as the Judge's words did the same._

_As my mind faded, I wondered what exactly I would dream._

* * *

_A young woman, running through a grassy meadow, laughter on her lips, joy in her eyes. As she ran, strong, slightly muscled arms caught her, wrapping securely around her and lifting her into the air, spinning as she laughed in sheer happiness._

_Those arms brought her back down so that her feet touched the ground, and pulled her back so that she was resting against a chest muscled to match the arms that now embraced her, as she fought to catch her breath, still laughing in her exhilaration._

_Hot air was blown against the shell of her ear, shivers of delight running up and down her spine, before a voice as deep and smooth as chocolate melting across the tongue whispered to her._

"_Now, now my Ying Fa; surely you don't think you can get away from me?"_

_Ever so slightly, the hold those strong arms held on her tightened, matching the words that sinful voice further whispered._

"_Cherry Blossom, I've caught you. You are mine, and I don't let what is mine disappear."_

_Shifting carefully so that she could turn to see her possessive love, a smile that she knew was filled with adoration tilted her lips as she met precious eyes that held the colour of golden amber._

"_You say you've caught me, but are you sure you did not simply fall into my trap?"_

_A deep laughter rang through the air, sending further jolts of pleasure through her that she could make him this joyful._

"_Oh my darling Ying Fa, if there was any trap you set; know that I fell into it most willingly."_

_The look in his eyes did not help the heat she felt travel through her veins. That such a perfect man wanted her as deeply as he did. She rose to the tips of her toes, moving closer to the man's face._

"_My gorgeous Wolf, my strong, powerful, wonderful Wolf; what is it that you do to me?"_

_A near feral grin split his lips, as he moved her even closer, his hands moving lower on her body._

"_Whatever you wish me to."_

_And their lips met._

* * *

_My eyes shot open and I sprang up from my position resting on the ground, gasping for air as a heavy blush painted my cheeks. Within seconds I found Kero-chan gently stroking my back and trying to calm me down as Yue-san watched over nervously and Yukito-san stayed with Kudo-san, watching for when his twin would wake._

_There were people clamouring all about, trying to speak, but I paid it no heed._

_All I could think of was that I knew the wolf with amber eyes._

_**I apparently had Sakura calling Kazahaya 'kun' to start with, and have since changed it to 'san' without realising. It's not a big thing; the two enjoy each others company, but are not close friends, and I wasn't paying attention. I'm also too lazy to go back and fix 'Her and Him' chapters, so for all of 'He and She' Kazahaya will be 'san'. Ying Fa is Chinese for Cherry Blossom. Did you all enjoy? Review and let me know.**_

_**Toodles and Love**_

_**Oky Verlo**_


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